The 30.5klm drive from Louisburgh to Leenaun in County Galway, through the Doolough Valley is pretty remarkable with its winding road curving along a string of icy lakes fringed by rugged mountains.
We got a good view of Aasleagh Falls near Leenaun where the Erriff River meets the Killary Fjord. This river is part of the local salmon population's life cycle which involves the fish at some stage having to make their way up this waterfall (although not today).
We stopped for a coffee in the pretty village of Leenaun, overlooking the waters of Killary Fjord. Leenaun is the northern most village in County Galway.
It took us 2 hours then to drive to Linnanes Lobster Bar, on New Quay Pier in County Clare, overlooking Galway Bay. It was quite scenic driving through Connemara, following the course of the River Corrib, until we got to the outskirts of Galway where we had a long holdup with some traffic interruption.
We had a lunch booking at Linnanes, a character filled restaurant in this 300 year old former fisherman's cottage about 40 minutes drive south of Galway around the bay.
This lobster was caught in Galway Bay - this morning!! Delicious of course, fresh, delicate flesh beautifully flavoured with lots of garlic butter. The garlic roast potatoes were to die for as well! The lobster came with all the implements too so I had fun cracking open the claws etc to get every ounce of goodness out of this beautiful meal.
This was the setting for Linnanes on Galway Bay - The Flaggy Shore, with its craggy "beaches" of limestone rocks (and remarkable fossils) - part of the unique Burren landscape of Co. Clare. Yes, by the time we got to Linnane's we were in Co. Clare.
It's very quiet on this part of Galway Bay.
Another 40 minutes of driving SW through Ballyvaughan and Lisdoonvarna and we were just outside the village of Doolin, at Doonagore Farmhouse where we are staying - for two nights, right near the famous Cliffs of Moher - the last scenic wonder we're hoping to see on this trip to Ireland. This is the view outside the window of our room at Doonagore Farmhouse.
Co. Clare has lots of dairy cows which must better suit the climate and vegetation than the predominantly sheep country we were in further north.
Doonagore Castle, a 16th century tower house is just near the farmhouse. Now privately owned, it is a dominant feature in the Doolin landscape - very storybook like.
This was our first view of the spectacular Cliffs of Moher from down on Doolin Pier.
...... and the view from Doolin village.
We had a drink or two and a light meal at O'Connor's Pub (there are lots of O'Connors and O'Brien's in Co. Clare) last night - hoping we'd hear some of the live music for which Doolin is famous. Nothing had started by well after nine however and it was severely crowded in that small space, so we left, pretty well exhausted from the day's driving, walking and eating!
We enjoyed the sunset over the Aran Islands - the view from the back of Doonagore Farmhouse last night.
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